How to conjugate Italian verbs in the Present Tense

Ready to learn Italian verb conjugation? On this page, we will learn how to conjugate Italian verbs in the present tense. Discover the secrets to effective communication, including essential guidelines and practical practices. Improve your language skills as we explore the complex world of conjugation. Let’s explore the Italian verbs in the present moment!

The present tense is your language window into the present moment, and mastering it builds the foundation for successful Italian communication.

The present tense in Italian is used to talk about things that are happening right now, recurring routines, and universal truths. So, Let’s start with how to conjugate Italian verbs in the present tense.

The first step is to know if the verb is regular or irregular.

Knowing the difference between regular and irregular verbs is like learning the fundamentals before going into more intricate language patterns.

Regular verbs follow patterns, and irregular verbs add nuance.

The second step for you is to learn how to conjugate regular verbs. This is done in Italian by changing the verb ends based on the subject pronoun.

So each verb is conjugated into the present tense according to the subject of the sentence and their appropriate endings.

The last step is to conjugate the irregular ones.

Let’s explore the distinctions and how you can master both.

Demystifying the Present Tense: A Guide to Conjugating Regular Italian Verbs

• Carlo parla al telefono.
• Anna legge il libro di storia.
• Pluto e Peggy dormono.

Parla, legge e dormono are regular verbs in the present tense.

Based on the infinitive ending, regular Italian verbs are divided into three groups or conjugations: -are, -ere, and -ire.

• Parla ➤ parlare
• Legge ➤ leggere
• Dormono ➤ dormire

Each of these conjugations has its own set of present tense endings.

FIRST CONJUGATION Verbs in -are (as -> PARLARE)

Let’s look at the first conjugation (-are) with the verb “parlare,” (meaning to talk/to speak).

To form the present tense you must remove -are from the verb and add the present tense endings.

The present tense conjugation is as follows:

• io parlo (I speak)
• tu parli (you speak)
• lui/lei parla (he/she speaks)
• noi parliamo (we speak)
• voi parlate (you all speak)
• loro parlano (they speak)

As you can see, the first conjugation has the endings -o, -i, -a, -iamo, -ate, and -ano.

The endings of verbs in the second and third conjugations change, but the pattern is the same.

Common regular verbs ending in -ARE

• AMARE
• ABITARE
• ARRIVARE
• ASCOLTARE
• CAMMINARE
• CHIAMARE
• COMPRARE
• GUARDARE
• GUIDARE
• LAVORARE
• MANGIARE
• PAGARE
• PENSARE
• PORTARE
• SUONARE
• TORNARE
• TROVARE

SECOND CONJUGATION Verbs in -ere (as -> LEGGERE)

Consider the verb “leggere” (meaning “to read“), which belongs to the second conjugation (ere). In the present, it is conjugated as follows:

To form the present tense you must remove -ere from the verb and add the present tense endings.

• io leggo (I read)
• tu leggi (you read)
• lui/lei legge (he/she reads)
• noi leggiamo (we read)
• voi leggete (you all read)
• loro leggono (they read)

As you can see, the second conjugation has the endings -o, -i, -e, -iamo, -ete, and -ono.

Common Regular Verbs Ending in -ERE

• CHIEDERE
• CHIUDERE
• CONOSCONO
• METTERE
• PRENDERE
• RIPETERE
• RISPONDERE
• VEDERE
• VIVERE

THIRD CONJUGATION Verbs in -ere (DORMIRE)

At last, the third conjugation (-ire) has a range of endings. Here’s a demonstration using the verb “dormire” (meaning “to sleep“):

To form the present tense you must remove -ire from the verb and add the present tense endings.

• io dormo (I sleep)
• tu dormi (you sleep)
• lui/lei dorme (he/she sleeps)
• noi dormiamo (we sleep)
• voi dormite (you all sleep)
• loro dormono (they sleep)

As you can see, the third conjugation has the endings -o, -i, -e, -iamo, -ite, and -ono.

The third conjugation includes verbs such as “preferire” which adds -isc between the stem and the ending only in first, second, and third-person singular and third-person plural.

The addition of “isc” is used to keep certain sounds from being phonetically spelt.

Here are some examples of common Italian verbs in the third conjugation that include the suffix “isc”.

Common Regular Verbs Ending in -ERE

• APRIRE
• COPRIRE
• PARTIRE
• SENTIRE
• SEGUIRE
• OFFRIRE

Common Italian verbs in the third conjugation that include the suffix “isc”:

1. Capire (to understand)
   io capisco tu capisci lui/lei capisce noi capiamo voi capite loro capiscono
2. Finire (to finish)
   io finisco tu finisci lui/lei finisce noi finiamo voi finite loro finiscono
3. Preferire (to prefer)
   io preferisco tu preferisci lui/lei preferisce noi preferiamo voi preferite loro preferiscono
4. Pulire (to clean)
   io pulisco tu pulisci lui/lei pulisce noi puliamo voi pulite loro puliscono
5. Costruire (to build)
   io costruisco tu costruisci lui/lei costruisce noi costruiamo voi costruite loro costruiscono
6. Dimagrire (to lose weight)
   io dimagrisco tu dimagrisci lui/lei dimagrisce noi dimagriamo voi dimagrite loro dimagriscono
7. Obbedire (to obey)
   io obbedisco tu obbedisci lui/lei obbedisce noi obbediamo voi obbedite loro obbediscono
8. Proibire (to prohibit)
   io proibisco tu proibisci lui/lei proibisce noi proibiamo voi proibite loro proibiscono
9. Punire (to punish)
   io punisco tu punisci lui/lei punisce noi puniamo voi punite loro puniscono
10. Unire (to unite)
    io unisco tu unisci lui/lei unisce noi uniamo voi unite loro uniscono
11. Ferire (to hurt)
    io ferisco tu ferisci lui/lei ferisce noi feriamo voi ferite loro feriscono
12. Colpire (to hit)
    io colpisco tu colpisci lui/lei colpisce noi colpiamo voi colpite loro colpiscono

Let’s conjugate some more of them:

verbo FINIRE

• io finisco
• tu finisci
• lui/lei finisce
• noi finiamo
• voi finite
• loro finiscono

Verbo PREFERIRE

• io preferisco
• tu preferisci
• lui/lei preferisce
• noi preferiamo
• voi preferite
• loro preferiscono

Practice Present Tense Regular Verbs

The present tense of Irregular Verbs

It is important to remember that some irregular verbs in Italian do not follow these rules and have their conjugations in the present tense.

The irregular verbs of the first and third conjugation are few, while there are very numerous those of the second conjugation.

Examples in sentences:

• Oggi vado al cinema, vieni con come?
• Sì, vengo volentieri

• Bevi un caffè?
• Sì, grazie

• Cosa fai domani?
• Vado a scuola.

I verbi vieni, vengono and bevi are irregular verbs.

Vieni ➤ Venire

Bevi ➤ Bere

Fai ➤ Fare

The two very important verbs “essere” (to be), “avere” (to have), are also some types of irregular verbs that must be memorised individually.

The table below shows the most frequently used irregular verbs conjugated for each personal subject:

❗️CLICK ON THE TABLE TO OPEN THE PICTURE ☟

Practice conjugating Italian verbs in the present tense Irregular Verbs

Common mistakes in learning to conjugate Italian verbs in the present tense.:

Regular vs Irregular verbs

• Challenge: Regular verbs follow a predictable pattern, but irregular verbs introduce a touch of unpredictability. These verbs don’t adhere strictly to the standard conjugation patterns, requiring you to memorize their distinct forms for different tenses.
• Solution: Familiarize yourself with the most common irregular verbs and their conjugations. Regular practice will transform these verbs from stumbling blocks to stepping stones.
  
  Irregular verbs can take many forms, including stem changes unique conjugations, and irregular ends. While this may appear difficult at first, these irregular verbs are often used as important words in Italian, making the work of memorizing them well worth it.
  Use interactive learning tools and activities you can find on this page, to target irregular verb conjugations.
• Also, you can choose from:
  Memorization Aids: Create flashcards, charts, or mnemonic devices to assist in memorizing irregular verb conjugations for different tenses.
  Contextual Usage: Practice using irregular verbs in sentences, incorporating them into everyday conversation to reinforce memorization.

Subject-Verb Agreement:

• Challenge: Ensuring that the verb agrees with the subject in terms of person and number can be tricky.
• Solution: Practice subject-verb agreement through varied exercises. Pay attention to singular/plural subjects and refine your ear for correct usage.

Italian Modal verbs Volere, potere, dovere: verbs in the present tense

Among irregular verbs, there are also modal verbs: volere, potere, dovere.

The verbs dovere, potere and volere are almost always followed by another verb to infinity:

• Devo uscire tra poco.
• Zoe non vuole venire alla festa.
• Puoi partecipare alla riunione?
• Vogliamo dormire.

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